Jointed structural member

ABSTRACT

A standard building part having joint elements which enable the part to be joined side-to-side and end-to-end with other such parts to form a frame for a building. The assembled and interconnected parts provide a module of construction which is arranged with other modules to erect a self-supporting frame of a desired shape and size.

United States Patent Kim [54] JOINTED STRUCTURAL MEMBER [72] Inventor: Tae Y. Kim, 208 W. Fifth St., North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada [22] Filed: Sept. 16, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 72,623

[52] US. Cl. ..52/732, 46/27, 52/280,

287/2092, 52/593 [51] Int. Cl ..F04c 3/42, A63h 33/04 [58] Field of Search..287/20.92 K, 20.92 D, 20.92 R, 52/732, 280, 270, 271, 272, 593; 46/23,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 261,919 8/ 1 882 Gibbons ..287/20.92 D 2,521,381 9/1950 Linck ..52/280 2,850,771 9/ 1958 Wagner ..287/20.92 K

[151 3,681,888 1 1 Aug.8,1972

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 780,702 2/1935 France ..287/20.92 K 1,098,280 3/ 1955 France ..287/20.92 D 1,275,026 9/ 1961 France ..287/20.92 D 1,216,618 10/1959 France .-......52/270 Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr. Attorney-Fetherstonhaugh & Co.

[57] ABSTRACT A standard building part having joint elements which enable the pan to be joined side-to-side and end-toend with other such parts to form a frame for a building. The assembled and interconnected parts provide a module of construction which is arranged with other modules to erect a self-supporting frame of a desired shape and size.

6 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDAus 8 m2 3,681. 888

sum 1 or a v g. E. g- 5.

26 I4 -28 25 I4 26 H INVENTOR TAE Y. K/M

ATTORN PATENTEDAus 81912 3.881.888

SHEET 30F 3 INVENTOR TAE Y. KIM

7 A RNEYS If My invention relates to a building part and more particularly to a component of standard dimensions which can be joined with other similar components to form a frame for a house or the like.

A house frame which is made up of various pieces of lumber normally must be erected by skilled carpenters who are required to cut and fit each individual piece of lumber. This is quite time consuming and therefore costly in terms of labor and generally a considerable amount of the material is wasted which further increases the cost of construction.

I have achieved a saving in both material and labor 7 by providing a structural member which is cut and shaped at the factory to standard dimensions and is provided with elements which form both side and corner joints when two or more of the members are assembled as parts of the building frame. These prefabricated structural members primarily are designed to form an open cube-like module which can be united with other modules to erect frames of various shapes and sizes. Once the structural members are joined and fastened together, no additional support members such as conventional beams and posts are required and the space confined by the frame can be finished in any desired manner to provide the type of accommodation selected by the individual building owner.

In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the structural FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing two structural.

members joined together,

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a modular unit formed by the structural members,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another assembly of two structural members,

FIG. 10 is a transverse section taken on the line 10-- 10 of FIG. 9,

FIG. 1 1 is a perspective view of a corner joint of the modular unit,

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing four structural members joined together to form a corner post, and

FIG. 13 is a transverse section taken on the line 13- 13 of FIG. 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates generally the structural member which forms the basis of the present invention. Preferably, the member 10 ismade of a piece 11 of lumber the cross-sectional dimensions of which can be 6 by 6 by 6 inches. At the mill, the piece 11 is shaped as required and is cut to a standard length, suitably 10 feet. Thus, the piece of lumber has side faces 14 and 15, disposed at right angles to one another, and

similarly disposed side faces l6-and 17, as well as paral- The piece 11 is divided into two identical shaped joint portions which are indicated generally at 22 and 23 in FIG. 1. Portion 22 is provided with a rabbet 25 and ribs 26 and 27. The ribs 26 and 27 are perpendicular to one another, see particularly FIG. 2, and are of equal cross-sectional dimension, viz., 3 inches by 3 1 inches which is the same as the rabbet 25. Thus, the

square rabbet and ribs of the portion 22 are each equal to one-half the dimension of the lumber piece 1 1.

Rib 26 extends from end edge 18 to the center of the piece 11 and has a transversely extending inner end edge 28. Near end edge 18, the rib 27 is cut away to provide a notch 30. The cutting away of the wood to form the notch 30 provides rib 27 with an end edge 31 and also provides the piece 11 with a comer abutment 32, see FIG. 1. The square cut notch 30 is 3 by 3 inches so that the abutment 32, which is the part indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1, also is 3 by 3 inches.

Portion 23 has parts identical to those described above for the part 22, the portion 23 parts where they appear in FIGS. 1 and 3 being designated by the same reference numerals. The ribs 26 of the two joint portions 22 and 23 are adjoining the side edges 17 and 15 respectively or, in other'words, said ribs are longitudinally staggered along the length of the lumber piece 11. This places the rabbets 25 on opposite sides of the piece 11 and each notch 30 is on the same side as an adjoining rabbet.

The ribs 26 of the portions 22 and 23 are provided with transverse openings 34 which are spaced at regular intervals along the ribs. For example, two such openings 34 are provided in each rib 26 spaced 15 inches from the edges 18 and 28 respectively and located 1% inches below the side face 14.

The lumber pieces 1 l are adapted to be assembled to form squares one of which is indicated generally at 40 in FIG. 4. Four pieces 11 are used to form the hollow square 40 and the pieces are arranged so that their ends will overlap as shown in FIG. 5. When the two lumber pieces illustrated in FIG. 5 are joined together, the corner abutment 32 of one is lodged in the notch 30 of the other thus forming a comer joint generally indicated at 42.

A number of squares 40 are interconnected to form a floor frame for example, in which case they may be mounted on a suitablefoundation 44, see FIG. 7. Whenever two squares 40 are butted together as part of a floor frame, the adjacent lumber pieces 11 of the squares are lapped as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. One lumber piece is turned end for end with respect to the other piece and is inverted so that its joint portion 22 will match the joint portion 23 of the other lumber piece, thus forming a double side joint one of which is indicated generally at 46 in FIG. 7. At this time, the plane side faces 16 of the lumber pieces are parallel to one another and the joint 46 is therefore referred to as a parallel side joint. The side joints 46 are secured against separation by suitable fasteners 47 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which extend through the registering openings 34 in the ribs 26. v

The same type of square construction can be used to erect wall or roof frames (not shown) which are to be extended in one direction only but the present structural members are mainly intended for use in constructing a modular unit such as is indicated at 50 in FIG. 8.

A square 40 is formed on the foundation 44 and four other such squares are mounted in an upright position on this first square to provide the unit 50 with wall squares 40A. Another square 40B is mounted on the four wall squares 40A, this last placed square being turned upside down relative to the square 40 resting on the foundation 44. The cube-like module 50 then is made up of six of the squares 40 with each square comprising four lumber pieces 11 so that'24 pieces all told are used on such a unit.

The pieces 1 l which rest on the foundation 44 form a side joint of the type indicated generally at 52 and shown best in FIGS. 9 and 10. Since the plane side faces 16 of the lumber pieces are normal to one another, this particular joint 52 is referred to as a right angular side joint. Fasteners 47 are entered through the openings 34 and are embedded in the wood of adjoining ribs to secure the lumber pieces together as abeam. The posts at the four comers of the modular unit 50 have the cross-sectional shape shown in FIG. 10 as do the four beams at the top of said unit.

Referring to FIG. 11, the pieces 11 which make up the posts and beams of the modular unit 50 form comer joints such as is indicated generally at 54. In each of these comer joints 54, which are made up of six lumber pieces 11, the .comer abutment 32 of some of the pieces are lodged in the notches 30 of the other pieces and the several pieces are nested together to form a snug interlocking joint.

Other modular units 50 can be added to the first unit to extend the building frame in three directions. When this is done, it will be found that the lumber pieces which make up the beams and posts of the units fit together to provide the rigidity and strength required. For example, a cross-section taken through a middle post (FIG. 12) formed when four modular units are joined together would be as shown in FIG. 13. All beams except the foundation contacting beam have the same shape when viewed in cross-section and the usual fasteners 47 are used to clamp the several pieces together to provide a particularly strong and rigid building frame. The comers of .the modular unit 50 are interlocked as shown in FIG. 1 l.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent buildin frames of varying shapes and sizes, with appropriate joints therefor, can be constructed using the present structural members, the ones illustrated being merely typical. The building frame can be extended horizontally or vertically by adding additional modular units 50 and no additional reinforcing devices are required to brace the entirely self-supporting frame. The structural members 10 can be used singly if need be or can be combined in a number of different ways as suggested above, the standardized joint portions 22 and 23 enabling a variety of joints to be formed. This does not require a high degree of skill and people other than carpenters can readily erect a building using the structural members 10 as the basic item of construction in the framing of the building. Such a building frame is sufficiently rigid and strong to carry the load without con ventional posts and beams so that there is a considerable saving in these heavy and costly reinforcing members. The frame thus constructed is filled in by means of the usual studs, wallboards and the like to complete the building.

I l I fx c rinted structural member for a building frame comprising an elongated-piece of standard dimensions and having side faces and end edges, said elongated piece having two identical joint portions of equal length, each of said joint portionsincluding'longitudinally extending first and second ribs disposed perpendicular to one another and with a rabbet defined thereby, said first rib and said rabbet of one joint portion being longitudinally staggered with respect to the first rib and rabbet of the other joint portion.

2. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 1, in which said second rib of each joint portion has an end edge spaced from the adjacent end edge of the elongated piece to provide a notch and a comer abutment, said notches being on opposite side faces of the elongated piece.

3. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 2, in which each of said first and second ribs has cross sectional dimensions substantially one half the corresponding dimensions of the elongated piece.

4. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 3,

. in which each of said rabbets has cross sectional 

1. A jointed structural member for a building frame comprising an elongated piece of standard dimensions and having side faces and end edges, said elongated piece having two identical joint portions of equal length, each of said joint portions including longitudinally extending first and second ribs disposed perpendicular to one another and with a rabbet defined thereby, said first rib and said rabbet of one joint portion being longitudinally staggered with respect to the first rib and rabbet of the other joint portion.
 2. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 1, in which said second rib of each joint portion has an end edge spaced from the adjacent end edge of the elongated piece to provide a notch and a corner abutment, said notches being on opposite side faces of the elongated piece.
 3. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 2, in which each of said first and second ribs has cross-sectional dimensions substantially one half the corresponding dimensions of the elongated piece.
 4. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 3, in which each of said rabbets has cross-sectional dimensions equal to the corresPonding dimensions of said first and second ribs.
 5. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 4, in which each of said notches has the same cross-sectional dimensions as an adjacent corner abutment.
 6. A jointed structural member as claimed in claim 5, in which each of said first ribs has transversely extending openings spaced at selected intervals therealong. 